1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a laundry treatment apparatus and a control method thereof.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Laundry treatment apparatuses are electronic apparatuses that may implement washing and/or drying of a washing object (laundry). Examples of laundry treatment apparatuses include a washing machine, a drying machine, and a combined washing and drying machine.
Laundry treatment apparatuses that may function to dry laundry may be classified into laundry treatment apparatuses having an exhaust drying system and laundry treatment apparatuses having a circulation drying system according to how heated air (hot air) supplied to laundry after heat exchange between the air and the laundry is treated.
A circulation drying system is a system that condenses air discharged from a receiving space in which laundry is stored and thereafter heats the condensed air (i.e., heating after dehumidification) to resupply the air to the receiving space. An exhaust drying system is a system that continuously supplies hot air into the receiving space and discharges air subjected to heat exchange from the laundry treatment apparatus.
In the case of laundry treatment apparatuses having a circulation drying system, provision of a cooling water supply structure may be essential because it is necessary to dehumidify air discharged from the receiving space using cooling water prior to resupplying the air to the receiving space. Therefore, laundry treatment apparatuses having a circulation drying system may consume an excessive quantity of cooling water when cooling efficiency is low.
On the other hand, laundry treatment apparatuses having an exhaust drying system may cause excessive energy consumption because they discharge air exchanged heat with laundry despite the fact that the air has a higher temperature than that of outside air.